How to stop MFP from changing goals/settings

dopeysmelly
dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
edited November 8 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Sorry if this has already been posted somewhere else.. I am set to "maintain" in MFP, calories set manually at 1700 (which changes with Garmin vivofit), macros set manually by me.

So, how do I stop MFP from changing both my "weekly goal" from "maintain" to lose/gain weight if my weight goes up/down a couple of pounds AND from changing my calorie target, which then also changes my macros.

This is infuriating. I'm finding I have to mess around with the settings a few times a week, when a couple of pounds is a perfectly normal fluctuation and shouldn't lead to any changes in my goals or settings. It took me time and careful thought to both set my calories and macros - I don't want it messed with.

Replies

  • autumnblade75
    autumnblade75 Posts: 1,661 Member
    Stop logging your weight?
  • mymodernbabylon
    mymodernbabylon Posts: 1,038 Member
    I had the same problem. I think it's a glitch in the system that pops up every so often.
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    autumnblade75 wrote: »
    Stop logging your weight?

    This. If you're maintaining your weight, within normal fluctuations, why are you entering it multiple times a week?
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
    autumnblade75 wrote: »
    Stop logging your weight?

    This. If you feel the need to log minor fluctuations, maybe you could do it in a separate app. I use Tactio to track weight.

    That said, I never had that problem when I was set for maintenance. Logging my weight did nothing to change my allowances when I had my goal set to maintain.
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    Is it changing the goal in the settings, or is it just changing in your diary?

    If it's changing in the settings, then it's either a bug, or it's the Garmin tweaking things as you go to try to keep you at the weight you've set. To determine which, unlink your Garmin and track everything manually for a week or two and see if it still changes. If it does, it's a bug. If it's not, it's how Garmin interacts with MFP and you might have to talk to Garmin about it (in my opinion, changing it at the settings level isn't how it should work; it should do what I believe the Fitbit does and add or remove calories via the diary or some other logged method).

    If it's just changing in the diary (or if the Garmin works by changing the settings themselves), then it's part of how MFP works (and how it works when paired with any of the bio trackers). The Garmin probably adds or removes calories based on your activity level. This should be able to be seen on your profile or in your diary as "calorie adjustment" or some such.

    Then, when the calories change, so do the gram values of the macros. This is due to the macros being a percentage of calories, so when calories change, the macros need to change in order to maintain the same percentages. Right now, the only way to do anything about that is to not track exercise calories, and instead, include them in your base goal. Some of the linked apps can be set to log exercise as 0 calories, if you want to still log them for recording purposes.

    FWIW, I would also love for different methods of reconciling changes in calories. It would be nice to mark one or two macros as constant and make only one or two change when calories change.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    edited December 2014
    Personally... I disconnected my Fitbit for maintenance. I'm not sure, but getting the info back & forth between tracker & MFP may be overriding your manual calorie setting.

    And I don't update my weight in MFP constantly.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Mischievous_Rascal wrote: »
    autumnblade75 wrote: »
    Stop logging your weight?

    This. If you're maintaining your weight, within normal fluctuations, why are you entering it multiple times a week?

    if you want to track weekly- start an excel spread sheet and just log monthly on MFP. I only log significant changes here- since I typically weigh in daily.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    I'm pretty sure it's a bug, since the Garmin adjustments are purely based on activity levels and I've not changed how I use the app/website or settings recently, nor the connection between Garmin and MFP.

    I'm reluctant to stop logging weight in MFP and switching to another app/method since it's convenient to have everything in one place. I already use excel for trending since MFP charts are pretty poor IMO, but it's really handy everything all together.

    Thanks for all the replies/suggestions, apart from those questioning why I don't just skip the daily weighing.. I weigh daily because it's a positive habit that has worked for me to lose the weight and I don't want to pile the 70 lbs back on. Weekly/monthly weighing doesn't work for everyone and not everyone freaks out because of fluctuations. Plus, I LOVE the data!!
  • sugaraddict4321
    sugaraddict4321 Posts: 15,894 MFP Moderator
    I log my weight daily and nothing changes in my settings (also custom-set). I do not sync with my Fitbit though. I think the poster that suggested it's Garmin making adjustments is spot-on. When you sync your device, it adds or subtracts calories in your diary and adjusts the macros based on where you want to be. That's why your most recent diary entry says "*You've earned -60 extra calories from exercise today."

    Now, if you say it is also adjusting your goals page then I'd contact the support team because that page should not change with a sync. But from here it looks the same as what everyone sees when they sync, and it's not to do with logging your weight here. This is why I do not sync. I use the tools separately. :)
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    I still weigh in daily on my Fitbit scale - but since I disconnected my Fitbit from MFP it doesn't transfer over automatically. I figure as long as I'm in the 125-130 range, all is good. Though I really want to be 127-128, I don't want to stress over it either.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    autumnblade75 wrote: »
    Stop logging your weight?

    Yep!
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    MFP doesn't acknowledge a weight range. If you log your weight different than your goal, they adjust your intake. If you want maintenance to stay the same, either don't log the fluxuations, or reset your goal to match your current weight. It's a computer program, not a person.
  • loribethrice
    loribethrice Posts: 620 Member
    I only track my weight on MFP if I lose. I use the Libra app on my phone to keep track daily because it has a chart so I can see my daily/weekly/monthly/yearly fluctuations.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    dopeysmelly wrote: »
    I'm pretty sure it's a bug, since the Garmin adjustments are purely based on activity levels and I've not changed how I use the app/website or settings recently, nor the connection between Garmin and MFP.

    I'm reluctant to stop logging weight in MFP and switching to another app/method since it's convenient to have everything in one place. I already use excel for trending since MFP charts are pretty poor IMO, but it's really handy everything all together.

    Thanks for all the replies/suggestions, apart from those questioning why I don't just skip the daily weighing.. I weigh daily because it's a positive habit that has worked for me to lose the weight and I don't want to pile the 70 lbs back on. Weekly/monthly weighing doesn't work for everyone and not everyone freaks out because of fluctuations. Plus, I LOVE the data!!

    Except for the comment about your Profile setting being set to Maintain, and you say it changes to lose weight (how much does it select?), it's working correctly.

    MFP guessed a maintenance with NO exercise included and your best guess (or bad guess) of activity level outside exercise.
    Eating level then based on this amount, if losing, it's less, if maintaining, it's equal.

    If the activity tracker daily burn comes across as more than that MFP guess daily burn amount - you get positive adjustment. Because you burned more than it thought you would.

    This could be exercise, this could be increased daily activity, doesn't matter - you burned more than MFP estimated.

    If maintaining - then that corrected amount is what you would want to eat, right.

    As to the change in macro gram goals, sadly the result of you burning more and therefore eating more, and MFP (and most others) going by %, means if the calorie eaten in the day go up, and the % stays the same, the grams obviously must go up.

    And the fact you manually set a 1700 goal doesn't matter, that'll be adjusted by the same difference.
    But if you are going by a manual goal, why in the world even sync the 2 accounts, it doesn't sound like you care if you actually burn more than MFP thought you would.

    And while it's true your maintenance level and therefore eating level are based on age, height, weight and your selection of activity level, it only should change with 10 lbs change in weight, and it should ask before doing it - it used to ask first.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    heybales wrote: »
    And while it's true your maintenance level and therefore eating level are based on age, height, weight and your selection of activity level, it only should change with 10 lbs change in weight, and it should ask before doing it - it used to ask first.

    Thanks @heybales. I didn't know it used to ask first before changing goals from "maintain" to "lose 1 lb a week", which is what it did this morning after I entered a weight 0.5 lbs higher than my maintenance target (NOT the maintenance range which is in my head). I think 47Jacqueline is correct that this is related to how the program was built (to lose weight, not maintain a loss).

    I can confirm, it's not the Garmin adjustment. I have used Garmin for months and MFP changed from "maintain" to "lose" this morning and then slashed my calories from 1700 to 1200 before I even hit the Garmin sync.

    Thanks folks. Looks like I'll be logging my weight elsewhere (probably in Garmin), which is not a solution, but a workaround, unless MFP tech support can resolve.
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    dopeysmelly wrote: »
    heybales wrote: »
    And while it's true your maintenance level and therefore eating level are based on age, height, weight and your selection of activity level, it only should change with 10 lbs change in weight, and it should ask before doing it - it used to ask first.

    Thanks @heybales. I didn't know it used to ask first before changing goals from "maintain" to "lose 1 lb a week", which is what it did this morning after I entered a weight 0.5 lbs higher than my maintenance target (NOT the maintenance range which is in my head). I think 47Jacqueline is correct that this is related to how the program was built (to lose weight, not maintain a loss).

    I can confirm, it's not the Garmin adjustment. I have used Garmin for months and MFP changed from "maintain" to "lose" this morning and then slashed my calories from 1700 to 1200 before I even hit the Garmin sync.

    Thanks folks. Looks like I'll be logging my weight elsewhere (probably in Garmin), which is not a solution, but a workaround, unless MFP tech support can resolve.
    Are you logging your weight in the app or the website? And if in the app, which one (Android/iPhone)?
    I log my weight twice a week and have my goals manually set, and it never changes my goals. I would only see it ask if I had hit the 10 lb weight change as it always has, but it's been a LONG time since I've even seen it ask since I've been basically maintaining for the past year.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    dopeysmelly wrote: »
    heybales wrote: »
    And while it's true your maintenance level and therefore eating level are based on age, height, weight and your selection of activity level, it only should change with 10 lbs change in weight, and it should ask before doing it - it used to ask first.

    Thanks @heybales. I didn't know it used to ask first before changing goals from "maintain" to "lose 1 lb a week", which is what it did this morning after I entered a weight 0.5 lbs higher than my maintenance target (NOT the maintenance range which is in my head). I think 47Jacqueline is correct that this is related to how the program was built (to lose weight, not maintain a loss).

    I can confirm, it's not the Garmin adjustment. I have used Garmin for months and MFP changed from "maintain" to "lose" this morning and then slashed my calories from 1700 to 1200 before I even hit the Garmin sync.

    Thanks folks. Looks like I'll be logging my weight elsewhere (probably in Garmin), which is not a solution, but a workaround, unless MFP tech support can resolve.

    Actually, the request to change your eating goal when you lose 10 lbs is what prompts question.

    Changing your actual Profile setting from Maintain to Lose 1 lb weekly is a bug - never heard of that before.

    Where are you seeing a field called maintenance target. Do you mean your Profile setting of Goal Weight?

    Huh, how about that.

    I just went in to my Diet/Fitness Profile via web browser (not app) to confirm the name of that field, and despite my current weight being 0.6 above goal weight, my "What is Your Goal" setting is indeed set to 1 lb weekly.
    It had been set to Maintain for a long time. I sync Fitbit, and take a 10-20% off daily burn depending on how much exercise.

    But - if I go to Goals tab under Home, it shows NO deficit actually being applied, and by Food diary reflects correctly the total daily burn with no deficit applied.

    So it appears the setting is made - the bug, but not applied - I'd suggest another bug since it really should.

    So I'd say set it to Maintain, and then don't worry about it, unless you see the daily burn change before logging exercise.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    heybales wrote: »
    dopeysmelly wrote: »
    heybales wrote: »
    And while it's true your maintenance level and therefore eating level are based on age, height, weight and your selection of activity level, it only should change with 10 lbs change in weight, and it should ask before doing it - it used to ask first.

    Thanks @heybales. I didn't know it used to ask first before changing goals from "maintain" to "lose 1 lb a week", which is what it did this morning after I entered a weight 0.5 lbs higher than my maintenance target (NOT the maintenance range which is in my head). I think 47Jacqueline is correct that this is related to how the program was built (to lose weight, not maintain a loss).

    I can confirm, it's not the Garmin adjustment. I have used Garmin for months and MFP changed from "maintain" to "lose" this morning and then slashed my calories from 1700 to 1200 before I even hit the Garmin sync.

    Thanks folks. Looks like I'll be logging my weight elsewhere (probably in Garmin), which is not a solution, but a workaround, unless MFP tech support can resolve.

    Actually, the request to change your eating goal when you lose 10 lbs is what prompts question.

    Changing your actual Profile setting from Maintain to Lose 1 lb weekly is a bug - never heard of that before.

    Where are you seeing a field called maintenance target. Do you mean your Profile setting of Goal Weight?

    Huh, how about that.

    I just went in to my Diet/Fitness Profile via web browser (not app) to confirm the name of that field, and despite my current weight being 0.6 above goal weight, my "What is Your Goal" setting is indeed set to 1 lb weekly.
    It had been set to Maintain for a long time. I sync Fitbit, and take a 10-20% off daily burn depending on how much exercise.

    But - if I go to Goals tab under Home, it shows NO deficit actually being applied, and by Food diary reflects correctly the total daily burn with no deficit applied.

    So it appears the setting is made - the bug, but not applied - I'd suggest another bug since it really should.

    So I'd say set it to Maintain, and then don't worry about it, unless you see the daily burn change before logging exercise.

    @heybales. The field is "Goals", "Weekly Goal" in the iphone app, and "Settings", "Update your diet profile", "What is your goal?" on the website. If more than one person is getting some variant of this, then it's a bug related to the program not the user profile, I would suggest.

    I'm in touch with Tech Support and will keep plugging at it until I can't force the error any more.

  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Tell them to check my account - i did not change the setting to Maintain. But that's what it had been at since July I think.

    And have them notice on my account that despite the setting, Goals and Food Diary don't actually apply the setting.
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